If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Played for a few months, loving it! But which racket?

Hey guys.

Im 23 and ive recently picked up badminton and fell in love completely. For about 2 months ive been playing about 4 hours a week. My current racket was just a random one i bought - A dunlop blackstorm G-60. I'm more of an aggressive player.

I've been having a problem - I can't hit the shuttle that hard. Its easier with feathered shuttles but when i play in my group with plastic, i can't clear it to the back unless i use quite a bit of energy. It may be because of a weakness in my wrist after fracturing it when i was little, so im looking for a racket that'll make it easier to hit hard.

To sum up, what is a good recommendation for a racket thats nice for power? My budget is around £40-£60.

if you've just picked up badminton for about 2 months, and you want more power immediately, there isn't a racket for you that could help you. it would be more beneficial if you're getting your form correct first, the way you swing and the way you move around the court. take some time and learn all the basics first before investing in another racket. now i don't know about dunlop but if your racket is made from steel then maybe it's too heavy for you. but if it's all aluminum or all graphite or a combination of the two, i think it's going to be fine. and if it's a racket that's even balance and between 85-88 grams, that's even better. i only give you those specs because it's not too heavy but not too light, pretty much everything's in the middle.

but first and foremost, i really think you should work on your technique first, or else you'll be wasting money on gear. i can tell you that those who's got the technique down cold, it really doesn't matter which racket they can still clear from baseline to baseline, they can still smash quite hard. if you really must buy something, i would suggest you to get a pair of good court shoes, one that is supportive and comfortable.

if you've just picked up badminton for about 2 months, and you want more power immediately, there isn't a racket for you that could help you. it would be more beneficial if you're getting your form correct first, the way you swing and the way you move around the court. take some time and learn all the basics first before investing in another racket. now i don't know about dunlop but if your racket is made from steel then maybe it's too heavy for you. but if it's all aluminum or all graphite or a combination of the two, i think it's going to be fine. and if it's a racket that's even balance and between 85-88 grams, that's even better. i only give you those specs because it's not too heavy but not too light, pretty much everything's in the middle.

but first and foremost, i really think you should work on your technique first, or else you'll be wasting money on gear. i can tell you that those who's got the technique down cold, it really doesn't matter which racket they can still clear from baseline to baseline, they can still smash quite hard. if you really must buy something, i would suggest you to get a pair of good court shoes, one that is supportive and comfortable.

Weight of my racket is 85g and it says its 100% graphite. The only reason i didn't mention technique is because I've been watching countless videos about every shot and practising every session since i started. Maybe it'll just happen over time, 2-3 months is a pretty short time afterall.

Though even a few guys in my group said my shots are a bit weak. I don't know why. Am i just a weakling? :l Should i try to start over with my right hand instead?

Weight of my racket is 85g and it says its 100% graphite. The only reason i didn't mention technique is because I've been watching countless videos about every shot and practising every session since i started. Maybe it'll just happen over time, 2-3 months is a pretty short time afterall.

Though even a few guys in my group said my shots are a bit weak. I don't know why. Am i just a weakling? :l Should i try to start over with my right hand instead?

your expectations might be too high for someone who has only been playing for 2-3 months. and if the guys in your group says that your shots are weak, then you really need to take it with a grain of salt and figure out where they are coming from. if they are comparing you with LD or LCW, well shoot, we are all weak. but if they are comparing you with other folks who has been playing for 2-3 months, then that's different. its one thing to watch the videos, which there's nothing wrong with it, i do that all the time, but it's even better when you have a friend or a trainer who can give you hands-on assistance. but if your friends don't have time to assist you or if coaching is not something you're looking for at the time, there is another way, slower that you could do to improve on your form. sometimes what i do is i stand in front of a full size mirror and start swinging my racket. thru the reflection i can observe whether my form is correct. and because you've watched so many videos you might have a sense of what good technique looks like. don't get me wrong, the best way to go at it is still hiring a coach.

the other thing is to record your games, or record your drills, then post it here and let the experts give you some pointers

your expectations might be too high for someone who has only been playing for 2-3 months. and if the guys in your group says that your shots are weak, then you really need to take it with a grain of salt and figure out where they are coming from. if they are comparing you with LD or LCW, well shoot, we are all weak. but if they are comparing you with other folks who has been playing for 2-3 months, then that's different. its one thing to watch the videos, which there's nothing wrong with it, i do that all the time, but it's even better when you have a friend or a trainer who can give you hands-on assistance. but if your friends don't have time to assist you or if coaching is not something you're looking for at the time, there is another way, slower that you could do to improve on your form. sometimes what i do is i stand in front of a full size mirror and start swinging my racket. thru the reflection i can observe whether my form is correct. and because you've watched so many videos you might have a sense of what good technique looks like. don't get me wrong, the best way to go at it is still hiring a coach.

the other thing is to record your games, or record your drills, then post it here and let the experts give you some pointers

hope this helps.

Great tips. Thanks man, im going to bookmark this thread ;P

I'm too old/started too late to do anything worthwhile with Badminton(i.e pro, tournaments), so do you still think getting a coach is worth it? Maybe not for years and years, but just to grasp the basics.

I'm too old/started too late to do anything worthwhile with Badminton(i.e pro, tournaments), so do you still think getting a coach is worth it? Maybe not for years and years, but just to grasp the basics.

I have no idea which way to go with this.

Don't worry about it, 2-3 months is definitely not enough time to perfect the basics. Hell, I've been in competitive junior badminton for 1 1/2 years now and I still haven't gotten close to perfecting the basics. Anyways, I also advise you to take up a few lessons with a good coach so that:
1. They can teach you proper technique and prevent you from developing bad habits.
2. Fix techniques that could cause potential injury.

Once you get the technique down pat, you should be able to clear properly with any type of racquet. At 2-3 months of playing badminton, your wrist muscles might still be weak as well. It just takes time to develop them.

I've been having a problem - I can't hit the shuttle that hard. Its easier with feathered shuttles but when i play in my group with plastic, i can't clear it to the back unless i use quite a bit of energy. It may be because of a weakness in my wrist after fracturing it when i was little, so im looking for a racket that'll make it easier to hit hard.

What's the current tension of ur string?

Coaching n footwork aside, u nd to know that playing with plastic birdie, string tension has to b lowered by 2-3 lbs as compared to playing with feather birdie. It's to facilitate greater string repulsion for a heavier projectile...

Coaching n footwork aside, u nd to know that playing with plastic birdie, string tension has to b lowered by 2-3 lbs as compared to playing with feather birdie. It's to facilitate greater string repulsion for a heavier projectile...

Or you can just get good enough to properly clear with both types of birds without needing to change string tension.

Update, guys. I had another hour of badminton yesterday and really focused on getting a good swing and using my wrist more, plus i had a few days break to recover. Its definitely making the difference and i'm clearing further.

Originally Posted by Dan123q

Or you can just get good enough to properly clear with both types of birds without needing to change string tension.

I think you're right. Since i play with feathered one group and plastic with another, i'd rather just learn how to hit it right rather than going through that trouble of changing strings constantly.
(I offered to provide feathered shuttles for the plastic-shuttle group but they said "oh, no we don't want to use them, it'll break our rackets")

What the hell.

So, if i were to buy a good racket later on, do you guys have any tips on which are the best for my play style? (Aggressive, smashes). What factors should i be considering?

You're going to hurt yourself by forcing your shots on plastic with the racket setup for feather. And if your racket is setup for plastic, you're going to lose crispness, touch and repulsion playing with feathers.

You're going to hurt yourself by forcing your shots on plastic with the racket setup for feather. And if your racket is setup for plastic, you're going to lose crispness, touch and repulsion playing with feathers.

So, short answer is you need separate setup for plastic and feather.

Even at a beginner level? I'm not sure what setup my racket is since i just bought a random one, but it says on the side of the racket:

I didn't realise plastic/feathered would make that much of a difference on your body/racket.

I don't agree with visor. I've been playing badminton with both types for a good 3 years now, no problems with my wrist, power, or "crispness and repulsion", just like all of my other friends. If you have the skill level, you can play both without that hassle of changing strings.

In terms of picking out a racket, there are kind of general outlines that you can try to follow. For your style, head heavy or even balanced racquets would be recommended as head heavy racquets can really pack a punch when smashing while balanced racquets are really good for drive or quick attack plays. Usually at the higher levels, most racquets are either medium-stiff or straight up stiff because they provide more control but could be hard on your wrists. It's absolutely ESSENTIAL to strengthen your wrist before you play with stiff racquets.

Eh, to each his own then. I've played for over 20 yrs, more seriously over the past 6 yrs. And I've experimented over the past 3 yrs with 20 rackets of various specs, with 6 different strings at tensions from 22 to 29 lbs, with both types of birds. You don't have to believe me. You can always ask other more experienced players.

And one last piece of advice, if you really want to learn the proper strokes and techniques, you must learn on feathers. Sure, you can say others only want to use plastic because of cost etc. But that's the plain truth.